Device for burning comminuted fuel during the water smoking period of the firing of clay products



July 26, 1932. J, WATSON 1,869,124

DEVICE FOR BURNING COMMINUTED FUEL DU G THE WATER SMOKING PERIOD OF THEFIRING OF CL P UCTS 29, 19 ets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29 She July 26, 1932. Jw -r o 1,869,124

D. DEVICE FOR BURNING COMMINUTED F DURING THE WATER I SMOKING PERIOD OFFIRING OF CLAY PRODUCTS Filed 29, 1929 2'Sheets-Sheet 2 1 3mm Q7 Dona/acf 161 5071 9 miw g the employment of a low flame without Patented July26, 1932 UN ED STATES PATENT-OFFICE;

301mm; J. WATSON, or sroux CITY, IOWA, AssIGNon'ro IOWASTATE con men orAGRICULTURAL MECHANICAL ARTS, OF AMES, IOWA, A. CORPORATION OF IOWAianvron non nunnnvq ooivmnvurnn FUEL nunnvernn warm sivro' tinesamb THEFIRING 0F CLAY PRODUCTS Application filed my 29,

The principal object ofthis invention is to provide a device for thesuccessful burning of comminuted fuel in clay products kilnfurnacesduringv the heating up or water smoking period of firing the ceramicware in the kiln. i

A further object of this inventionis to provide ameans for regulatingthetemperature inside a pulverized coalheated kiln at all times,andregardlessof atmospheric con:

ditions and temperatures outside the kiln.

A still furthenobject'of myinvention is to providea device for theburning ofpowdered or finely granulated fuel that permits danger of thesame going out. i

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device for thesuccessful'burn ing of comminuted coal'that'may be'easily installed onkilns now in use. I

A still furtherobject of my invention is to provide a device for burningpulverized fuel in clay products kiln furnaces that is economical in'manufacture, durable-in use, and refined in appearance.

-These and other objects will beapparent to those skilled in the art. Ii

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby'the objects contemplated areattained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed outin'my claimsand in which: I V

Fig. 1 is a top plan sectional view of my complete inventionready foruse. I

Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of'the' invention installed in afire-box and is taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. 1 Fig. 3 is a front view-ofthe fire-box and portion of a kiln or the like showing my invention inpracticaloperation. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one ofthe flamerestricting plates. I

Fig. '5 is a top plan ofone of the flame illustrated inthe accompanyingdrawings,

restricting plates and more fully illustrates its construction.

The heating up or water smok1ng.per1od in the burning of clay productsin kilns is recognized in the ceramic industry as one of burning of theware.

1929. serial no. 366,886;

the most important stages inthe successfully If the temperatureincreases too rapidly, the ware will have'a tendency to burst-or slaband on the other hand, if the temperature is too low, moisture 'isliable to form on the surfaceof the clay I V products-and a scumming ordiscoloring' of p the ware will result. I have overcome thesedifficulties by the use of powderedfuel and novel means for burning andregulating the same.

. I have used the numeral lo to designate the side wall of'a-kiln or thelike, havingthe 1 usual kiln bands 11. Inside of thiswall is als 15-andl6 designate vertical parallel walls extending "downwardly from' thecelling of the fire-box and to points approximately onethird of theheight of the fire-box from the bottom thereof. These fire-box walls-areparallel to, but do not touch the two side walls ofthekiln'respectively, thereby providing. 1

the air passage ways 17 and 18 as shown in Fig. 1. The numeral 19designates a floor member connecting the" two walls 15. and 16 togetherat their lower edges. 20 designates a-vertical insulating wall be- Thenumeral tween the floor'an'd fire-box celling and is I built rigidly inthe front ofthe fire-box as Extending through the wall 20 is thepowdered fuel inlet-pipe 21 shown by the drawings.

terminating at a-point between-the two walls issue 16. This pipe isdesigned to lead to a suitable powdered fuel supply and any well knownmeans for forcing the same, 'mixed with air. through the pipe and intothe space between the two-walls 15 and 16 may be used.

V In theside of the walls of the kiln, on each side of thepipe 21 andcommunicating with the space between the twoQ-wallsfi15 and 1.6 are the.two vertical slots 22 and 23'. Capable twofiame restricting P13112824,each having two handle members 25 and 26 as shown in of being insertedin these two slots are the 5 dotted lines in Fig. 1, the forward ends ofthe plates will be moved away or toward each other,"thereby inclosingthe flame from the pipe 21 or adjustably restricting its outlet betweenthe two flame restricting plates. The

numerals and 31 designatetwo vertical o enings at'the outer sides of thewalls "and161and communicating with the two a1r passage ways 17 .and 18,respectively. Hingedly secured to the kiln bands and adjacent .toeachofthe openings 30 and 31 is avane 32, capable of closing or restrictingthe open,- ing which'is' adjacentto it. By this arrangement the amountof air entering thekiln furnace through the openings easily regulated. Vv v The practical operation of the invention is as follows: I

30. and 31 may be I The plates 24 are first inserted in their respectiveopenings and hingedly secured to .the kiln bands as shown in thedrawings. Theforward. ends of these platesshould be together or in closeproximity to each other and the powdered fuel or air passing through thepipe 21 ignited by any suitable means.

As soon as the powdered fuel-held in suspension is ignited the heat fromthe same will pass into the bag 14 and start the heating of the clay intheclay products chamber of the kiln. By such a construction the plates24 will become very hot and will keep the powdered fuel alight, therebyallowinp the powderedfuelto burn on a very low ame.

The distance at-which these plates are to be placed from each other bythe swinging of the same will depend much upon the size of the flameemployed and thenature and condition of the powdered coal.v

If the forward ends of the plates are considerable distance fromeach,-other,the heat passingdirectly into the bag'lt will be quitegreat. If a very ?low flame? is desired, very little powdered fuelshould be allowed to pass through the pipe 21, and the forward ends ofthe plates should be close together. These plates may be ribbed on'theirouter faces for 'strengthand to prevent warping. By adjusting the values32,'ther temperature of the hot air passing through'the kilnmay beregulated, thus afiording. a second adjustable means forobtaining thedesired heat, as well as humidity, inside the clay products chamber ofthe kiln. "The cold air passing through the passageways 17 and 18mixeswith'the hot gases and makes proper combustion.

' 7 After the water smoking? period has been completed and the fire-boxis brought to a glowing condition, the two plates 24; are removed afterwithdrawing the pins 27, and the fire-box is then bricked up with loosefire brick andthe'kiln heated in the usual manner. Atsuch a stage myinvention ceased to be of furtheruse in the burning of the'particularclay v,ware inside theiclay products "chamber of the kiln.

The complete device is very easily'and cheaply installed on'new or oldtype kiln furnaces and although I have described the invention in use inconnection with kiln furnaces, it may be used to advantage in any firebox where powdered fuel is being burned anda .lowflame is desirable.

If it is desired to further enclose 179-.

strict the flame vfrom the pipe 21, the pins 27 may be removed; and theplates; slid backwardly in the slots 22and 23, thereby bringing theforward ends of the plates closer to the orifice of thepipe 21.

The numeral 33 designates a hinged door communicating with the air duct12. Some changes may be made inthe construction and arrangement. of myimproved device for burning comminuted fuel during .the

water smoking, period a of the firing of clay products, withoutdeparting from the real spirit and purpose'of my invention and it is myintention to cover bymy claims any modified forms of structure or use ofmechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within theirscopep Iclaim: 1 1. Ina device of the class described, a firebox havingan opening, a closing member for closing said opening, two verticalwalls extending intov said fire-box and spaced apart from the two sidesof said fire-box, respectively, air passageways in said closing mem bercommunicating with the outside atmosphere and thespace between saidwalls and said fire-box, respectively, vanes hinged on said closingmember for closing or 'restricting said passageways, two vertical slotsin said closing member, plate members extend-f ing'thro'ugh said slotscapablejof swinging movement between said two walls, a handle 7 memberon each of said plates to facilitate the movement of the same,j and afuelinlet pipe'eXtend-ing through said closing member and terminatingbetweenesaid twoplates.

2. In a device of the class described, a firebox, a fuel inlet pipeextendinginto said fireboX,-a plate member hingedly mounted at each sideof said inlet pipe, respectively for en- 7 ,gagingtwo-sides of the fuelfrom said pipe after it has been ignited for restricting the spread ofthe same, andfa handle'member secured-toeachbf said plates for manuallyswinging the same to various positionsrelative to the flame from thesaid fuel inlet pipe.

r 3. In a device of the class described,-a fire- "box having an opening,a member for; closing said opening, two spaced apart plates hinged tosaid closing member and capable of swinging movement toward or away fromeach other in'said fire-box, and a fuel inlet pipe extending throughsaid closing member and terminating between said two plates; saiddesignated parts so arranged that the bottom and top of said fire-box,the closing member and the two plates may completely embrace. ignitedfuel in front of said inlet pipe.

4. In a device of the class described, a primary fire box, a secondarycombustion chamber communicating with the inside of said fire box, afuel inlet pipe terminating inside said primary fire box, and a platemember hingedly mounted at each side of said inlet pipe respectively,capable of being moved for engaging the two sides of the fuel from saidpipe after it has been ignited for adjustably restricting the spread ofthe same.

DONALD J. WATSON.

